I don’t know about you, but I love to visit old cemeteries when I travel.
If there’s an old cemetery in town when I’m exploring a new place, I actively try to visit it. There’s something inspiring about old cemeteries for me; they hold so much history and forgotten stories.
If you too seek out old cemeteries in your travels, here are some of my favorites that I think are well worth the visit.
Perhaps the most unique cemetery I’ve ever visited, this truly looks like a city for the dead. The graves here are unique in that they lay aboveground in little house looking tombs. This was done to protect dead bodies from being washed away in floods. The result is that you feel like you’re walking through a miniature town.
There are actually a few cemeteries worth a visit in NOLA. I found Lafayette to be one of the prettier ones, evidenced by the fact that several movies and shows (“The Originals” and “The Vampire Diaries,” anyone?) were filmed here.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is definitely worth a visit too as the city’s oldest cemetery and the final resting point of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau. Just be aware that you need a tour guide to enter this cemetery in an effort to keep the cemetery preserved.
If you find yourself in NOLA visiting these cemeteries, check out my guide for visiting the city on a budget.
This cemetery is an important one to the history of the United States. It’s the final resting spot for several important figures in the country’s early history. This includes several signers of the Declaration of Independence (Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Robert Treat Paine), Paul Revere (who, fun fact, wasn’t the one who succeeded warning Revolutionists that “the Redcoats are coming”), the five victims of the Boston Massacre and many others.
There are 2,345 grave markers in this cemetery founded in 1660, so a lot of history waits to be explored here.
By far the creepiest place on this list, the Paris Catacombs are underground ossuaries. The bones and skulls of the dead from overcrowded graves were arranged in these former mine shafts.
The effect is creepy, with walls made of bones laid out in various designs decorating the tunnels. The whole time I was there I was scared the lights would go out and I’d have to feel my way out by touching the walls of bones. Luckily, that didn’t happen, but I’m not in a rush to return for a second visit!
It’s still a cool site to visit, especially if you’re a fan of the creepy.
For a slightly less creepy place in Paris, this cemetery is a better visit. Not only does this huge cemetery (the largest in Paris) hold the graves of lots of various famous people from centuries past, but it’s also kind of pretty. You know, for a cemetery.
The grand tombs are works of art, and in some areas, nature has taken over, with trees splitting though tomb stones and roots taking over graves. It’s actually a nice place for stroll, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Look for the graves of famous people such as Edith Piaf, Frederic Chopin and Oscar Wilde.
This cemetery is located in the old part of Edinburgh, but it’s not the good views of the city that made this cemetery so popular. It is rumored that J.K. Rowling found inspiration for character names in this very cemetery, and it’s become a destination to visit for die-hard Harry Potter fans.
I myself couldn’t pass up on visiting when in Edinburgh, and I had a great time checking out all the graves and trying to find names I was familiar with from the books.
Psst: If you’re also a writer who likes to find inspiration through travel (including cemeteries around the world), make sure to sign up for my free travel-related writing prompts.
Another interesting fact about Greyfriars Kirkyard is the legend of Greyfriars Bobby, a dog who supposedly guarded his master’s grave for fourteen years. You can visit the faithful dog’s grave and add to the pile of sticks people leave for this good boy’s ghost.
Another interesting cemetery in Scotland, also with a view of the city it’s located in, is the Glasgow Necropolis. This Victorian cemetery was built to reflect the wealth of the city in that period. Designed as a botanic and sculpture garden, it still serves as a place to go for a stroll today. It’s actually a good workout because this necropolis is located on a hill.
Step back in time to Victorian Glasgow and learn about its history. This necropolis was a memorial to the city’s merchant patriarchs and is the resting spot of almost all the eminent citizens of Glasgow in the Victorian age. So, there’s lots of history to discover here!
I know there are lots of other old cemeteries around the world to visit, but these are the ones I visited and found interesting. I hope to add more to this list soon!
Do you have a favorite old cemetery that I haven’t gotten the chance to visit yet? Tell me about it in the comments below!
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I actually like to visit those special places too. I recently went to the Pere Lachaise and it was so beautiful with the fall foliage!
Oh I bet! There were so many trees there!
I love old cemeteries and visit them all the time. I would love to visit the cemeteries in Boston and Glasgow. Thanks for sharing and giving me some ideas.
I love old cemeteries, like you said so much history and forgotten stories.
This is a fantastic article. I have heard of the few of these places but definitely not all of them. As a traveler I need to consider visiting historic cemeteries!
Whether they are above ground or below ground I think all of them have unique differences based on the era they were built, the towns that they are in, The culture of the people, and The lay of the land!
~Aloha
Omg, I love graveyards too! My husband and I were married in NOLA, and I was so disappointed to not have the time to go grave viewing. We'll definitely have to go back. The tale of Greyfriar's Bobby is great, I would love to visit and add a stick!
How awesome! NOLA is one of my favorite cities! And it is indeed a great tale; seeing the pile of sticks made me so happy haha
I love cemeteries! When I was a teenager, I used to go to study in the general cemetery of Santiago, Chile. I still go visit cemeteries when ever I have the chance! Thank you for sharing !
What a unique study spot! That's so cool!
This is amazing! As a child we often did grave stone rubbings at a cemetery near our church camp. I also got to visit a cemetery in the Galápagos Islands and it had raised graves and many unique features that were eye opening! What an amazing adventure you have been on! Thanks for sharing!!
Ooh, the Galapagos Islands cemetery sounds super unique! I'll have to keep it in mind if I ever go there :)
Cemeteries are such interesting places. I once took students to Germany and we stopped at the cemetery in Baden Baden because one of the students' family was originally from there. We actually found the family plot. It was an event that really helped personalize the trip.
Sounds like a worthwhile stop on the trip!
Great suggestions! Would definitely recommend Cimetiere de Morne-A-l'Eau if you ever visit Guadeloupe, it's gorgeous!
Ooh good to know! Will definitely keep that in mind!
I really enjoyed reading through this post (and also really like the name of your blog, by the way!) :). I agree that the NOLA cemeteries are fascinating, though I've only seen them riding past. I would actually love to see all of these one day. Had no idea about the Paris Catacombs! Fascinating, and creepy!
Thank you so much! :)